To Be Different
by KanmiSanmi
Summary: In a world where everybody seemed to treat them differently, maybe being different wasn't so bad...as long as they could be different together.


Naruto had always been a strange child. You could tell just by glancing at him.

Naruto could also tell just by glancing too. Despite appearing dumb and foolish, he was more observant than most people thought. There was simply something about him that was…_different…_ from the rest of the kids he would see on the playground, or the fellow academy students he watched in the academy. After earning constant insults and glares, he eventually learned to hate that "something" that distanced him from the others.

Like that bright blond hair he had, that was so rare and uncommon in Konoha.

Like those weird whisker marks he had on his cheeks, ever since he could remember.

Like that ugly reddish skin he had that made him look as if he had just been sunburnt.

Even his stature was not normal – he was the smallest boy in the class!

But it wasn't only his appearance that he disliked. Oh no.

He didn't like it when the grown ups whispered those horrible things about him when they thought he wasn't looking. He didn't like it when the grown ups would call him a monster, a demon. He also didn't like it when the kids would do the same too, as if the whole village consisted of a population of mindless parrots, repeating the same insults over and over again.

At first he felt like his eyes would start over flowing with tears, until those angry looks would blur and fade and he could just sit in his swing all day until there were no tears left to weep with. But after some time the tears didn't come anymore because he managed to keep them bottled up. It wasn't going to change anything anyway. It didn't help.

_It didn't help it didn't help it didn't help. _

Nothing seemed to help, as far as Naruto was concerned. He was a failure at the academy, and it felt like he couldn't do anything right no matter how hard he tried. Everybody hated him and refused to acknowledge him, and on top of that the whole village seemed to be scared of him for no apparent reason.

Hinata had always been a strange child. You could tell just by glancing at her.

Hinata could also tell just by glancing too. Despite appearing soft and weak, she was more observant than most people thought. There was simply something about her that was…different… from the rest of the hyuugas she would see in her compound's training ground, or the classmates she trained with in the academy. After earning constant disappointed looks and crushing expectations, she eventually learned to hate that "something" that separated her from the others.

Like that ink blue hair she had, that was so odd and strange in her village.

Like those big white eyes that she had, making her look like a freak compared to her fellow classmates.

Like that alarmingly pale skin she had that caused people to wonder if she had ever been outside at all.

Even her stature was not normal – she was the smallest girl in the class!

But it wasn't only her appearance that she disliked. Far from it.

She didn't like it when the clan members whispered those degrading things about her when they thought she wasn't aware. She didn't like it when her father would call her a disgrace, a weakling. She also didn't like it when the rest of the clan members would do the same too, as if the entire clan was just a bunch of cruel gossips, spreading the same harsh words on and on.

At first she felt like the tears would start running down her cheeks, until those judging white eyes would no longer be clear and visible and she could just huddle in a corner of her room until her body was stiff and aching. But after some time she didn't do that anymore because she had to be strong and respectful in front of her clan. Though it wasn't going to change anything. She knew the truth.

_She knew the truth she knew the truth she knew the truth. _

The truth could not be changed, in Hinata's opinion. She was only slightly above average at the academy, and it felt like she couldn't live up to her father's expectations no matter how hard she trained. Everybody in her clan pitied her and didn't acknowledge her, and what's more most of the kids thought she was some stuck up brat just because she came from the hyuuga clan.

**Maybe I am scary.**

**Maybe I am a dead last.**

**Maybe I am a monster.**

…

**But then…why me?**

Why him? That was certainly a good question. He had once asked Jii-chan the same and the old Hokage had just smiled at him sadly.

**Why me? Why me? Why me?**

_Maybe I am a disgrace._

_Maybe I am weak._

_Maybe I am a failure._

…

_But then…why me?_

Why her? That was something she often wondered about. She had once asked Kō-san the same and the bodyguard had simply smiled awkwardly and changed the subject.

_Why me? Why me? Why me?_

The blond, whiskered, red-skinned boy glanced at the blue-haired, white-eyed, pale girl. There was simply something about her that was_…different…_ from the rest.

Like that ink blue hair she had, that was so odd yet so pretty.

Like those big white eyes that she had, making her look like an angel compared to her fellow classmates.

Like that alarmingly pale skin she had that caused him to wonder if such a beautiful person like her could ever be friends with an ugly person like him.

Even her stature was not normal – she was the smallest girl in the class!

Like him…

**She's like me…she's different too…**

The blue-haired, white-eyed, pale girl glanced at the blue-haired, blond, whiskered, red-skinned boy. There was simply something about him that was…different… from the rest.

Like that bright blond hair he had, that was so rare yet made him glow like the sun.

Like those weird whisker marks he had on his cheeks, that actually looked nice on him.

Like that _not _ugly reddish skin he had that wasn't really ugly at all despite the insults the boy had been getting.

Even his stature was not normal – he was the smallest boy in the class!

Like her…

_He's like me…he's different too…_

She was clearly above average at the academy – to him, she was as almost as good as Sakura – maybe even more considering her fighting skills. To him she was better than he'll ever be, so he had no idea why she was so insecure.

He wasn't a failure at the academy in her eyes, because he always had the strength to rise back up. That's why Hinata didn't understand why everybody hated him and refused to acknowledge him.

Though most of the kids thought she was some stuck up brat because she came from the hyuuga clan, to Naruto those kids were complete idiots. They didn't see the way she trembled and stuttered, the way she was so painfully shy (yet nobody helped her) it made him want to hold her hand tight to give her strength and courage.

Hinata knew the whole village seemed to be scared of him, but in her opinion they were blind. They didn't see the way he smiled and gave you strength, the way he was so full of warmth (yet nobody wanted to be his friend) that it made her want to run up to him and hold his hand to give him love and friendship.

Quickly, bravely, he walked over to her.

Slowly, hesitantly, she shuffled over to him.

Determined blue met shy white.

Shy white met determined blue.

**"Hi! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"**

_"H_-_hello…my name is Hyuuga Hinata…"_

Naruto stared at the girls small hands, which were fidgeting nervously.

Hinata looked at the rough tan hands, which were twitching in anticipation.

**Don't worry Hinata-chan…I'll give you strength so you won't have to be so shy anymore!**

_Naruto-kun…this is my chance…to show you that I can give you the affection and friendship you deserve…!_

At the same time, they reached for each other. At the same time, they stopped reaching, surprised and embarrassed.

**"Hinata-chan! I can explain! You just looked so scared and shy that I just wanted-**_"_

_"I-I just wanted to…y-you were so a-alone that I thought-"_

**"Oh, sorry! You go first!"**

_"I-It's okay, Naruto-kun…you can go first if you like…"_

They both took a deep breath.

**"I just wanted to give you courage and strength."**

_"I-I only wanted to give you l-love and friendship."_

The blond boy gave the girl a big happy smile, grabbing her hand. The girl shyly squeezed his hand, giving him a small hesitant smile.

**"Because…"**

_"B-because…"_

_**"You're different too."**_


End file.
